Tag: China

In another Indian foreign policy win, Pakistan has been put on the global terror finance watch list. However after heavy push back from its supporting countries – Saudi Arabia and the GCC, China and Turkey, this action was delayed to start in June. The significance of this move is several – it means that officially Pakistan either support or is involved in terrorism activities and as a result funds flow in to and out of Pakistan will be heavily scrutinized by banks and their respective countries. Borrowing funds from overseas will be both difficult and expensive and there are other negatives.

NOW EVERY PAKISTANI ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD (which compares itself to India and feels itself to be unlike Afghanistan) WILL FEEL THE BLACK MARK OF THIS ACTION.

India successfully completed the PRE-INDUCTION TRIAL of our most advanced ICBM (Intercontinental Ballistic Missile) with a range of around 5,000 kilometers. The key facts are this missile is 17 meters long, can carry a 1.5 tonne nuclear warhead and the range is 5,000 kms. Plus this missile is launched of a “mobile” or movable launch pad, which means the launch sites are harder to detect and these can be even moved closer to our borders to give added range. With this success and few more tests to be completed, India will be equipped and ready with these missiles for our defences. Surely, India, the scientists and defence organizations who developed can feel good that with this success, India will now be one of few exclusive countries with this capability. But the biggest benefit is almost all of China including Tibet and Hong kong and all its major cities, most of which are located in the eastern and southern edges are in this missiles range and not safe, just as till now all of India was in China’s missile range. While no war is expected, such a major development will keep China’s leadership awake at night…

By law, property left behind by those who left India for Pakistan or China and took up respective citizenship during partition are treated as enemy property. So far, nearly 9,500 enemy properties have been confirmed with a estimated value of Rs. 1 lakh crore which are to be auctioned by the Indian Government – with the proceeds going to government coffers. The government advises that nearly 9,300 properties were left behind by those became Pakistan citizens and nearly 200 by those who became Chinese citizens. Even though these properties are spread all over India, the biggest chunk are in Uttar Pradesh (4,991) followed by Bengal (2,735) followed by Delhi (487).

Over a month ago, China agreed to pull back after a tense 70 face to face standoff between Indian and Chinese troops in the Doklam plateau, located near the strategic chicken neck area. But that was only temporary, as it is now being reported that they have restarted the road construction on the Doklam plateau – but 10 kms away from the original site which is still Bhutan’s territory. Apparently all the original equipment and manpower have been moved to that location. India is now again pushed to a corner to take defensive action to both protect itself and Bhutan.

China invaded Tibet and and annexed the country to access the country’s rich natural resources but also to militarize the strategically important border with India. Many feel that India made a strategic error in recognizing Tibet quickly. Devotees believe that Kailash-Mansarovar which is in Tibet, to be the abode of Lord Shiva and the yatra to get there is considered holy by Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Each year, hundreds and thousands of Indian pilgrims who undertake this holy yatra need Chinese permission and visa – always a big headache. But if Tibet had remained independent getting these visas would have been really easy.

China again destroyed Indian bunkers along the Sikkim border. India destroyed and stopped further road building by the Chinese in Indian territory. China wants to snatch away bit by bit territory near the chicken neck area of Assam. India has a strong presence and maintained its strength here. As Chinese plans were blocked for now, they are throwing up verbal threats – their controlled media is warning of possible war like in 1962. So is China planning to start a war with India?

In recent weeks, China brought in labor, materials and equipment to build a road on the China, Bhutan and Sikkim (which is India) junction. The Indian Army prevented at least part of this road getting built as they felt it was on Indian soil – it is only doing its duty. So China gets upset and destroys bunkers (cheap tricks), India can always return the favour. China stops the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra in Tibet which is under Chinese occupation. Hard to predict the future, but India is aggressive and refuses to back down. Chinese knows all too well that there are enough missiles and nuclear weapons pointed at them. So China – better watch out!

India and China are the two biggest countries with a single time zone. India time is closest to Allahabad time, which is more central while all of China uses the Beijing time. And Beijing is one end of the country. So for us, it is only five pm when the sun sets in Andaman and Nicobar Islands – which is far east, while the western edge of Gujarat the sun sets at only 8 pm. Multi time zones is a sign of advancement. So let us have a debate on this as also understand the impact of the current single time on those at one extreme versus other. During British rule, while not the best time, India had multiple time zones.

Indians have started slowly but surely started boycotting Chinese goods. Confederation of All India Traders (or CAIT) reports that sale of Chinese products is expected to decline by 30 per cent this Diwali. Sardar Bazar in Delhi, India’s largest wholesale market, traders have noted that Chinese goods sales are dropping by at least 20 percent, and in some other cities and markets by over 40%. While the mutual trade between India and China has been growing rapidly, India’s imports from China are nearly 40 times larger than China’s imports from India. China has noticed these trends, and now China has issue an threat which is these trends if continue would negatively impact the India-bound investments from its enterprises and also the bilateral cooperation between the two countries. But do we really care?

China sells to India Rs. 400,000 crores of goods each year while India sells only a fifth of that or Rs. 80,000 crores to China. China supports Pakistan, a country that supports terrorist activities openly, has blocked our NSG membership, there are diplomatic disputes in the United Nations and other places, regularly infiltrates in India to test or attempt to push its borders and so many things. Now the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI), has appealed to people to boycott Chinese products, and several individuals are doing it by choice. Should all Indians and businesses pool together and start to boycott Chinese goods to reduce imports and to teach China a lesson. This could hit them even harder as China is in the midst of a business downturn?

Per news reports, India is receiving more interest and real investment money as compared to China. Till recently, China was the global leader. With the push for “Make in India”, GST, lowering interest rates, digital India and others, China is feeling the competitive pressure and is threatened by India, as India starts to grow even faster.

China seems to be creating problems or obstacles at every opportunity. If things are too quiet, it will embark on border violations, recently it strongly and publicly opposed India’s entry into the NSG (nuclear suppliers group), and it also opposed the UN sanction of Pakistani terrorist groups. This is unfortunate as India gave up its United Nations (arguably foolishly by then prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru) on questionable grounds) in favor of China, gave up Ladakh territory to China and did not condemn or oppose Chinese occupation of Tibet. So, it is now time for India to get aggressive with China at any opportunity. Should we boycott Chinese goods to send them a message?

US is pursuing needless provocation by putting India, China, Russia and others on the COPYRIGHTS SHAME LIST. The unsaid point seems to be that US intellectual property is superior if not the best, and all countries should follow and be subjective to US copyright laws. Well in that case, India should celebrate being placed on these shame lists…

India has received pledges for nearly Rs. 15 Lakh crore (or US $222 billion) of investment pledges for “Make in India” so far already. PM’s Make in India initiative is to simply transform India into the leading “global manufacturing hub,” while creating jobs for the youth. The global chatter is that foreign direct investment into India is likely to overtake both USA and China, and is far ahead of the BRICS countries. Why this push? we have so many youth now, and by mid-century, India’s workforce will exceed 100 crores – so leaders have to figure out how to keep them all employed.